1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a device for applying symbols to protein-containing material, such as the skin of an animal or meat, said device having a stamping member containing the symbol or symbols in the form of an electrode, said stamping member being connected through a switch to an electric source of energy.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A device of this type is described in the published German patent application No. 28 55 981. This known device has symbols formed by lines by means of which digits can be composed, with each symbol in the form of an electrode which forms a resistance in an electric circuit and can be heated to obtain the required temperature by closing the circuit.
This known device is based upon the well known, old manner of branding living or dead animals by using a marking iron which is heated to the required temperature, previously in an open fire, and then pressed upon the skin of the living or dead animal with the result that the mark is burned deeply into the skin of the animal or the meat of the slaughtered animal.
The device known from said German specification No. 28 55 981 has the advantage that by choosing the right composition of symbol electrodes, each digit or combination of digits can be formed so that marking with different figures can be done with one single device.
This known device, however, has the disadvantage that its application upon living animals is painful. Its application on meat of slaughtered animal destroys part of the meat, while application upon a hide usually makes useless a large area of the hide. Although different figures can be composed with this known device, the operation with said device is slow because symbols heated in composing a certain figure have to cool first before a figure can be applied in which said previously heated symbol may not appear.